Josh Freeman has taken 21 offensive snaps in the preseason, which ranks 30th among active NFL quarterbacks.

Only the 49ers Colin Kaepernick (16) and the Redskins Robert Griffin III, who is recovering from an ACL tear and not been cleared to play, have fewer after two preseason games.

The beleaguered Bucs quarterback has completed 6-of-10 passes for 42 yards but has been sacked four times while participating in only four offensive series in losses to the Ravens and Colts.

But Bucs coach Greg Schiano said limiting Freeman's time under center during preseason games was part of the plan.

"No, it was all by design,'' Schiano said. "One of the advantages of working against New England was that I feel like he got three-days’ worth of snaps against another team and that’s one of the big advantages in my opinion. He has his two receivers back from last year, [wide receiver Kevin] Ogletree’s new, Tiquan is back. I think they understand each other, they have a good feel for each other. I didn’t feel like there was any need to push the envelope for that reason and it allows [quarterback Mike] Glennon and the other guys to get reps. Now, Josh will play substantially more this week, so I look at it as if he’s played two games, you know, the New England practices and then this game.”

While Freeman got good work against New England in practice, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady maximized his time in Friday's game.

Brady went 11-of-12 passing for a 107 yards passing and a touchdown in Friday night's game, despite spraining his knee in practice Tuesday. He insisted on playing against the Bucs and says game speed cannot be simulated in practice.

"It's your only game prep,'' Brady told WEEI on Boston. "I haven't taken a hit in eight months. It's hard to say. Let's just see what happens against Buffalo.

"You've got to put it in and see where you're at in terms of game speed and the reads. Things are diffferent in the game, when you're under the pressuire of the play clock, and a game clock, and the headphones go out and the siubstitions are wrong and now you've got to call a different play in the huddle. All these little things, that one play in a regular season game can cost you, so you've got to try to work those kinks out as best you can before the season stars.''

Incidentally, Brady has only participated in four series this preseason, scoring three touchdowns.

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